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ShaftDesignBasics.....Forcesonshaft.....Equations.....ShaftDeflectionassessment.....Indicativetorqueandpowers.....ConnectingMethods.....
Shaft Design Basics
Shaf t
Ashaftisarotatingorstationarycomponentwhichisnormallycircularinsection.Ashaftisnormallydesignedtotransfertorquefromadrivingdevicetoa
drivendevice.Iftheshaftisrotating,itisgenerallytransferringpowerandiftheshaftisoperatingwithoutrotarymotionitissimplytransmittingtorqueand
isprobablyresistingthetransferofpower.Ashaftwhichisnotrotatingandnottransferringatorqueisanaxle.
Mechanicalcomponentsdirectlymountedonshaftsincludegears,couplings,pulleys,cams,sprockets,linksandflywheels.Ashaftisnormallysupported
onbearings.Thetorqueisnormallytransmittedtothemountedcomponentsusingpins,splines,keys,clampingbushes,pressfits,bondedjointsand
sometimesweldedconnectionsareused.Thesecomponentscantransfertorqueto/ fromtheshaftandtheyalsoaffectthestrengthoftheshaftanmust
thereorebeconsideredinthedesignoftheshaft.
Shaftsaresubjecttocombinedloadingincludingtorque(shearloading),bending(tensile&compressiveloading),directshearloading,tensileloading
andcompressiveloading.Thedesignofashaftmustincludeconsiderationofthecombinedeffectofalltheseformsofloading.Thedesignofshafts
mustincludeanassessmentofincreasedtorquewhenstartingup,inertialloads,fatigueloadingandunstableloadingwhentheshaftisrotatingatcritical
speeds(whirling).
Notes:
ForinformationonthebendingandshearstressesresultingfromsideandaxialloadsrefertoBeamIndex
ForinformationonthecriticalspeedofshaftsrefertowebpageShaftCriticalSpeeds
ForinformationonthefatigueconsiderationsrefertowebpageFatigueindex
Forinformationonthedesignrequirementsofkeys&splinesKeys/ splinesindex
Whendesigningashaftthefollowingstagedprocedureisnormallyadopted
1. Produceafree-bodysketchoftheshaft.Replacingthevariousassociatedcomponentswiththeirequivalent
load/ torquecomponents
2. Produceabendingmomentdiagramforthexyplaneandthexzplane(x=shaftaxisdirection).
Note:Theresultinginternalmomentatanypointalongtheshaft=M
x
=Sqrt(M
xy
2
+M
xz
2
)
3. Produceatorquediagram.
4. Locatethesection(s)ontheshaftwherethecombinedinternalloadingisthehighest..Thisimportantstage
requiressignificanteffortandjudgement
5. Assessthestrengthoftheshaftanddetermineifthesafetymarginissufficient.Thefailurecriteria(refFailure
theoriesfortheshaftdependsonthematerialselection(ductile/ brittle)andconsiderationoftheloading
regime,(constant/ variableloading,rotatingspeed,degreeofshockloading)
6. Checkthattheradialandangulardeflectionsoftheloadedshaftareacceptablylow.
Sket ches illust rat ing st ages 1, 2, & 3
Stage1--Produceafree-bodydiagram
Force /Torque Measurement
www.polytechinstruments.com
Scientific Instruments Supplier Laboratory Testing Instruments
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Stage2--ProduceabendingMomentdiagram
Stage3--ProduceaTorquediagram
Forces
Theresultingforcesonashaftresultingfromdifferentdrivecomponentsarelistedbelow
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Basic Equat ions
Thevariousequationsrequiredtoevaluatethestressesandstrainsinaloadedshaftandtoarriveatsafeoperatingloadsaretobefoundonother
webpages.Thesimpleequationsbelowrelatedtotheestimatingthetorqueresultingfromatransmittedpowerandthesurfaceshearstressesresultingfrom
atransmittedtorque.
S
y
=Tensileyieldstrength(N/ m
2
)
S
sy
=Shearyieldstrength(N/ m
2
)
T=ShaftTorque(Nm)
P=Powertransmitted(kW)
n=RPM(revs/ min)
D=Shaftdiameter(m)
T=Appliedtorque(N.m)
M=Appliedbendingmoment(N.m)
K
M
=Shockfatiguefactor.(Moments)
K
t
=Shock/ fatiguefactor.(Torques.)
=Directstress(N/ m
2
)

x,y,z
=Directstressz,yandzdirections(N/ m
2
)

1,2,3
=PrincipalStresses(N/ m
2
)
=Shearstress(N/ m
2
)

xy
=Shearstressinxyplane(N/ m
2
)
=angularvelocity(rads/ s)
=angulardeflection(rads)
AssumingtheshaftismadefromaductilematerialthefailurecriteriaapplicableistheMaximumShearStressTheory(MSST)criteria.ref.FailureCriteria
Thisisveryrelevanttoductilemetals.Itisconservativeandrelativelyeasytoapply.Itassumesthatfailureoccurswhenamaximumshearstressattainsa
certainvalue.Thisvaluebeingthevalueofshearstrengthatfailureinthetensiletest.Inthisinstanceitisappropriatetochoosetheyieldpointas
practicalfailure.Iftheyieldpoint=S
y
andthisisobtainedfromatensiletestandthusisthesoleprincipalstressthenthemaximumshearstressS
sy
is
easilyidentifiedasS
y
/ 2.
S
sy
=S
y
/ 2
MaximumShearStress=
max
=Greatestof(
1
-
2
)/ 2:(
2
-
3
)/ 2:(
1
-
3
)/ 2=(
1
-
3
)/ 2
Thefactorofsafetyselectedwouldbe
FoS=S
y
/ (2.
max
)=S
y
/ (
1
-
3
)
Forthesimplecaseofatensilestress
x
combinedwithashearstress
xy
.withtheprincipalstress
3
=0.and
y
,
z

xz
,
zy
=0...(reftonotes
onMohrscircle)..Mohr'sCircleThetwonon-zeroprincipalstressesare
TheresultingFoS=
OrintermsofTorqueandbendingmoments.
Importantnote:
Theaboveequationsareverybasicequationstakingnoaccountoffatigueconditions,stressconcentrationfactors,etc..Itisalsonecessarytoconsider
thelinear/ angulardeflectionoftheshafttoensureitiswithinacceptablelimits.Avariationoftheaboveequation(basedonequationinMachinerys
Handbook)takingintoaccountcombinedfatigueandshockloadingisprovidedbelow.
TypeofLoad K
m
K
t
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Gradually applied load and
steady
1,5 1,0
Suddenly applied/ minor
shocks
1,5-2,0 1,0 - 1,5
Suddenly applied heavy
shocks
2,0 -3,0 1,5 - 3,0
Shaf t Def lect ion
Itisimportantthatashaftshouldnotonlyhavethestrengthtotransmitthespecifiedtorqueandloadwithouttheriskoffailurebutalsothatshaft
deflectionsduetobendingandtorquearewithinacceptablelimits.Thelimitingoftheangular/ radialdeflectionisrequiredbytheneedtoreduce
vibrationandensurereliableoperationoftherelatedcomponentsincludinggears,splinesbearingsetc.Thedesignprocedureforashaftshould
thereforeincludeanappraisaloftheresultingdeflectionswhentheshaftisloaded.Ifitisdeemednecessarytocalculatetheangularandlineardeflections
duetobendingatcriticalpointsthenvariousmethodsareavailable..someofthesemethodsareidentifiedonwebpageShaftDeflections.Noteson
torsionaldeflectionsareprovidedbelow
AngularDeflection_Duetobending
Typeofbearing Maxangulardeflection[]
Single-row ball bearings 0,23
Double-row self -aligning ball
bearings
2,0
Cylinderical roller bearings 0,06
Taper roller bearings 0,03
Spherical ball bearings 0,5
Spherical roller bearings 12,5
Single-row tapered roller
bearings
0,03
Thrust spherical roller bearings 2,0
Sliding bearings (b/d < 1) 0,05
Radialdeflectionduetobending.
Themaximumradialdeflectionattheteethforspurgearing=0.01*mandforbevelandwormwheels=0.005*m(m=moduleofgearwheel(mm)).The
suggestedmaximumdeflection(notatgears)forgeneralengineering=0.0003*Landformachinetools==0.0002*L.(L...distancebetweenbearings).
TorsionalAngularDeflection
Theangulardeflectionofashaftisobtainedbytheequation
InMachineryshandbook27thedasafemaximumdeflectionof0,26degreespermlength(0,0045rads/ m)isrecommended.Therefore
I ndicat ive Transmit t able Torque Values
Thistableisprovidedtoallowcomparisonbetweenshaftsandisbasedonverysimplisticassumptionswithnoallowanceforfatigue,additionalstressesto
BendingMomentsetcetcetc
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ShaftDia PureTorque Power(100RPM) Power(1500RPM)
mm Nm kW kW
30 132 1,4 20,8
40 314 3,3 49,3
50 614 6,4 96,4
60 1060 11,1 166,5
75 2071 21,7 325,3
80 2513 26,3 394,8
100 4909 51,4 771,1
Notesontablevalues
=Theskintorsionstressofasolidroundshaft:T=Thetorquetransmittedbytheshaft:T=..D
3
/ 16
Thetableisbasedonatorsionstresslevelof25N/ mm
2

PowertransmittedbyashaftP=2**T*N(N=Revs/ sec)
Tablepowerbasedonpuretorquevalues
Met hods of Locking/ Driving it ems on Shaf t s
Type Description Notes
KeyWay
Reliablemethodbasedonamachinedkeywayinshaftandassociatedbore.Driveisviaafittedkey.
Resultsinincreasedlocalintensifiedstresses.Amachinedkeywayresultsinaweakershaft.(shaftdia.
effectivelyreducedby25%).Keycanbedeformedovertimeandresultisaloosedrive
Keyways
Splines
Pin Very low cost option. Used f or low torque drives.
Circlips
Pins
Spline
Expensive to manuf acture with matching spline in shaf t and bore. No additional components required.
Allow relative axial movement. High torque capacity.
Keyways
Splines
TaperLock
Bush
A tapered bush that f its into a tapered bore in the Gear/Coupling to be driven by the shaf t. The locking
action results f rom f orcing the bush into the bore using axial screws. Tendency to stick in position.
Limited shaf t range (up to 80mm dia)

Shaf t
Locking
Lock Bush
Similar principles to taperlock bush but has parallel bore and OD. More convenient to install. Much
larger size range (up to 500mm dia). These are relatively expensive but required no special shaf t
machining.

Interf erence
Fit
Requires accurate shaf t and bore. Machined items are assembled using hydraulic press or using
thermal methods e.g. Heating the f emale item or f reezing the male item. Dif f icult to separate. This
method if correctly engineered is probably a near ideal method with minimum f atigue risks
Interf erence
f it
Polygon
Drive
Shaf t ground to a prof ile rounded triangle or rounded square. The polygon prof ile has excellent
f atigue properties, constant inertia and has around 30% more load carrying capability when compared
to splines/keyways etc of the same size.

Adhesive
Low Cost. High torques can be transmitted. No special machining of shaf t or bore. Cannot easily be
taken apart. Should not be used without extensive development/testing
Adhesives
Hydraulic
Locking
Bush
Similar application to locking bush. Large size range. Convenient to apply. No risk of sticking. Relatively
expensive.

Links to Information on designing shaft suppliers and shaft locking methods
1. MITCALC..AreasonablypricedExcelbasedsoftwarepackageallowingdetailedshaftdesigntoEuropeanCodes-I
recommendthissoftware
2. FennerDrives..InformationOnTrantorque
3. Lenze..SupplierofTaperlockBushes,ShaftBushes,HydraulicLockingBushes
4. DANotes..(UofWaustralia)Veryinformative..SectiononStressStrengthandSafetyforshafts
5. Chapter9ShaftDesign..(ColoradoSchoolofMines)Excellentdownloadablechapterofshaftdesign.
6. Inkoma..Polygondrives,splines,etcexcellentsourceofinformation
7. Ondrives...Supplierofdrivecomponentsincludingkeysandsplinespolygonshafts/ hubs
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LastUpdated22/ 01/ 2013